In London, a Pre-Olympic Race to Find a Place to Dock

LONDON—Chasing a freer lifestyle, Emma Ringqvist last year swapped her rented room for the Miss Behavin—a 58-foot vessel she bought online. The folk musician outfitted the boat with bookshelves, a drum kit and a cooking area complete with drawers for organic composting. "This is the first time I have my own kitchen," she said.

But thanks to this summer's Olympic Games, Ms. Ringqvist is moving house—her entire houseboat, in fact—again. On Tuesday, British Waterways, the agency that regulates most of London's...